We must never cease our exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to return to the place where we first began and to truly know that place for the first time.
– T.S. Eliot
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For a time in my life I had serious ties to Brazil, and ever since it’s held a special place in my heart. Brazil became the country I visited the most, and place where I’d spent the most time outside the US. I learned Portuguese and followed the country’s news and sports, and connected to any Brazilians I met at home. I formed a bond with the place, the culture, anticipating that my future and that country would be intertwined.
The future didn’t happen as expected, plans change, “way leads onto way,” and in 2015 I realized it had been four years since I’d last gone to Brazil. I had moved on from much of that past, but my connection was still under the surface somewhere. It became a part of me.
When an opportunity to travel to Brazil on business came up this past March, I was super excited but couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive. Would Brazil feel the same to me? Would I still feel a similar affection for the country now that I was traveling there under vastly different circumstances?
I’m never one to pass up the chance for a unique and exotic work trip. I had to run with the business opportunity for the challenge and experience professionally, and to make some key relationships within my organization. But on a personal level going back to Brazil meant I also would be forced to revisit a lot of mixed feelings, but more importantly have the chance to discover Brazil in a completely new way.
It was a few very hectic weeks leading up to my trip to Brazil, and even if I would have wanted to try and mentally prepare it wouldn’t have been possible. I hopped on the plane less than 24 hours after returning home from a very busy work trip to San Francisco, closing out my month of March that saw me spend more days away than at home.
Hearing the Portuguese announcements on the plane felt comfortably familiar, but I much preferred making the trip in a business class suite over my previous numerous flights down there in coach! Upon arrival at the Rio airport we were whisked away by private driver for our long ride down to Angra dos Reis, dozing off in the car and feeling out of sorts from the long plane ride. When the staff at our hotel spoke no English I got to exercise my travel Portuguese, feeling a vague satisfaction with the successful conversation.
Things started to click when I sat down for lunch… outside on the water sitting at the typical Brazilian Skol plastic tables and chairs, sipping light beer in the sticky humidity and eating pizza with a fork and knife. Our waiter (Paulo) sat and watched a soccer game on the prominent TV in the restaurant and I felt the quintessential Brazil I never realized I missed.
Throughout my trip it would be these kinds of little moments that stuck out to make me realize how comfortable and happy I felt in Brazil. Being able to communicate with the locals when my travel companions were completely lost with the language. Eating the familiar foods and drinking so so many caipirinhas. Visiting places in Rio that were completely familiar to me, and growing to love the Brazilian Amazon in a few short days.
This trip was special to me in a lot of ways. I felt at home and familiar back in Rio, and found a peace and contentment I haven’t experienced in a very long time in the Amazon. I can’t wait to write more about that experience, and the profound effect the river and jungle had on me.
That’s not to say the trip was perfect. Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro, is a complicated place to visit. My coworker was stunned to silence at the miles after miles of slums we drove through leaving the airport on the outskirts of Rio. No first time visitor can prepare for that. Despite so many trips to Rio, I still felt scared walking alone. Our meetings and visits were challenging. I had a lot of stress with things going on at home.
But sometimes that’s the point. Sometimes we have to work a bit for things to be great. In a way, because of the challenges of this trip, of this place, I feel like I earned the reward of having a truly great trip. And, more importantly, I had an experience that changed me. And what more can we ask for from our travels?
Have you ever felt a profound connection to a place?
The post On Going Back: Visiting Brazil after Four Years Away appeared first on Eclectic Travel Girl.
